Go Natural With a Meal Makeover

Create Meals With Natural and Organic Food Made From Scratch

Aug 26, 2009 Beth Lumadue

Changes to the ingredients in home meals not only makes them healthier, but introduces gradual changes to the family menu that are more likely to be accepted.

Choosing locally grown or organic food products and cooking with natural ingredients cuts down the consumption of unhealthy chemicals and preservatives used in packaged and frozen foods. While going organic and natural can be more expensive, it doesn’t have to be a huge drain on the family budget.

Grow Vegetables

Growing vegetables in containers or planting an organic vegetable garden can save money on produce. The vegetables can be frozen and canned to last for several seasons.

Before planting a garden, decide what to grow. Find recipes for vegetarian meals and side dishes. Experiment with local produce first; this will indicate what the best crop choices are and provide some recipes and ideas so that the garden’s harvest can be used as soon as it’s ready.

Plan a Meal Makeover

Another way to save is to choose carefully and make gradual changes to the family menu. Meal makeovers allow people to enjoy the same food they are used to, but with more natural ingredients.

Classic home meals like spaghetti and meatballs or other pasta dishes can easily be made more healthful. First, look for wheat and other multi-grain pasta. Families who eat a lot of pasta can save money and eat healthier by purchasing a pasta machine, which gives the ability to control what ingredients go in the pasta and eliminates preservatives. Tomato sauce can be made from scratch with just a little extra time, effort and low cost ingredients. Adding fresh vegetables and herbs adds flavor and nutrition. Finally, ground meat can be substituted with an organic brand for only a slight increase in price.

Get into the habit of preparing and packing healthy lunches and snacks to avoid the temptation and convenience of fast food meals. There are many natural alternatives to the standard fast food burger, including turkey and veggie burgers or even organic ground meat. Herbs, vegetables and homemade sauces add flavor and flair to a burger, and whole wheat rolls make them healthier.

It’s fairly easy to make rolls, bread and other baked goods – even without a bread making machine. Substitute the highly processed white bread with some simple white or wheat bread basic recipes made from scratch.

Healthy Choices for Kids

While it can be difficult to get kids to eat vegetables or try new things, most standard staple foods that kids love - like peanut butter or cheese sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, chicken fingers and hot dogs - are available in organic varieties, or can be made from scratch with healthy ingredients. Pizza and tacos are also simple meals that can be made healthy with a little makeover, like homemade dough, more vegetables, and organic products.

Healthy natural choices can take the place of junk food snacks, too. Try fruit and smoothies instead of ice cream and candy, and veggies in place of chips. Orange juice and fruit smoothies can be frozen into ice pops for a warm weather treat. Make ice cream from scratch – with or without an ice cream maker – to control what ingredients go into the final product.

Going natural and healthy doesn’t have to be a frightening foray into unknown or exotic food. Classic family meals can be made over by substituting healthier ingredients and setting aside some extra time for preparation.

The copyright of the article Go Natural With a Meal Makeover in Healthy Cooking is owned by Beth Lumadue. Permission to republish Go Natural With a Meal Makeover in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Make Over Meals With Healthy Ingredients

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